In High Spirits and Miseries
by wildnaturexx
Summary: We have known them as pirates, revolutionaries and criminals but what could possibly change when our favorites also ride the roller coaster of life? Let's be with them as they face the daily struggles of reality as teenagers. The story contains conflicts, humor, romance etc.
1. Wake-up Call

_**Hi guys! So, I am just a newbie here. And this is my first story. I wanna start small so this won't be a heavy kind of stuff but just about the everyday dilemma of Ace, Sabo and Luffy as not-so-regular teenagers and brothers. I want to have a sort of refreshing story so yeah. Hope you guys will like it.**_

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

In a modern house somewhere in California, three sets of snoring could be heard.

He pushed himself deeper into the sea of blankets and put pillows into each of his ears as he heard a very loud booming voice followed by a thunderous laughter that was even louder because of the megaphone. _So I guess this is his new wake-up call huh? Well it is annoying as hell, _Sabo thought. The brothers' grandfather came home after months of absence claiming that he misses his grandsons. So, it was the time of the year in which the brothers must be in full alert unless they want injuries and abusive granddad rumors spread in their school again. After minutes of silence, when Sabo was just getting back into Lalaland, he heard heavy footsteps. He quickly shot up from his position and bolted for the door and straight to their old man.

"I'll wake them up now! I'll wake them up." Sabo said to Garp as he put up his hands in a surrending position.

Garp roared in laughter. "BWAHAHA! Just when I thought I could spread love in this house again. BWAHAHA!"

Sabo sighed. He watched his grandfather went down the stairs into the kitchen. The blond man then went to his freckled-face brother's room. There in the bed was Ace complete with freckles, drool and snores, completely still in his oh-so-wonderful dream. But Sabo had a determined look on his face. He then moved next to the bed and forcefully flicked his brother's forehead many times in a row. And Ace then screamed in agony. He shot up, covering his forehead, and was ready to bust the gut of the one who dared to do that to him. He noticed Sabo who was standing there with his arms crossed.

"The shitty gramps is here, Ace. And if you don't get your ass out the door and into the kitchen, I am sure all of us won't be seeing any sun soon." Sabo said.

"Ugh, I almost forgot about him." Ace groaned. "Well, did you wake up Lu yet?" He added.

"I'm going to now." Sabo told him. Ace followed and watched as his brother shouted at the top of his lungs. "LUFFFFFFFYYYYY! BREAKFAAAAAST!"

Luffy quickly jumped out of bed and headed to the kitchen. He could smell bacon, pancakes and hashbrowns from there. "Breakfaaaaaaast! Oh, hey gramps! Shishishishi!" the ball of sunshine declared.

"Hey Sabo, is today Friday?" Ace asked.

"It is Monday, you dumbass. It is the third week of the school year. And don't forget we have football tryouts later." Sabo replied.

Ace sighed. Just then, he caught the smell coming from the kitchen and in a matter of seconds, Sabo was left standing alone. He watched the scene before him. Garp was at the end of the table reading a newspaper, unaware of the two mercilessly shoving food every food into their mouth. Sabo smiled in fondness and then joined the war.

* * *

The three were still not able to comprehend why Garp insisted on driving them to school every time he comes home.

"YOU BRATS SURE ARE SLOW! YOU CANNOT BE LIKE THIS WHEN YOU BECOME MARINES!" Garp shouted from the car. He was honking the car for 10 minutes now. And finally, after a lifetime worth of ruckus, the rascals were out the door and headed to the car.

"Seriously gramps, you don't need to do this. We've got my car." Ace told Garp.

"Shut up you brat, I wanna make sure you three are not skipping classes." Garp countered.

"Oh, but it was fun being chased by teachers. Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed.

The two older brothers face palmed.

"And I'm gonna beat you senseless if you do that again damn kid." Garp said.

"You are no fun granddad!" Luffy replied.

"And you two, what are you up to? I doubt you guys even get girls." the old man asked.

_Quite the opposite actually, _Ace thought while Sabo snorted.

"But Ace and Sabo always have girls around them." Luffy informed. And Garp went wide-eyed.

"Ohh, is that so? Don't tell me…."

"It's not like that old man!" Ace blushed.

"Shishishishi! I mean girls who confess to them gramps."

Ace smirked.

Garp laughed "Bwahaha! Those are my boys. I suppose you got your charms from me, huh?"

Ace and Sabo just paled at that.

When they got to school, it was already full of people. They bid their grandfather goodbye and went inside.

Marco and Thatch quickly approached Ace and Sabo. And Luffy went to greet his friends.

"You guys won't believe it yoi." Marco greeted.

"What, man?" the freckled man replied.

"I suppose a large number of people for tryouts?" Sabo replied.

"You betcha! Having a hottie like me on the team sure brought good news huh?" came from Thatch.

Just then, a group of girls approached the boys. One of them spoke "Good Morning Ace! I think you are extra handsome today." Ace went as red as a tomato at that. Sabo chuckled.

"You too, Sabo. Fresh as always." Another girl voiced out.

"Why, thank you." Sabo bowed.

"Idiots! Marco still is the hottest." a girl with a purplish hair spoke.

Marco blushed and turned to see who it was and was surprised and annoyed to see Nojiko.

Nojiko laughed. "Hahaha! You should have seen your face pineapple head."

Marco replied. "Stop teasing yoi."

"And seriously Ace, you should work on that blushing problem of yours. Hahaha" Nojiko added.

Just then a group came approaching, "you are as bad as Law, Portgas." a friend named Shachi told Ace.

"Swimming in compliments and girls! And I can't even get one!" he continued suddenly sounding annoyed.

"You're not the only one Shachi. You can go girlfriend hunting with Thatch. What do you say huh?" Nojiko countered.

"Shut up! I can get girls if I want to!" the redhead shouted.

The group just laughed as the bell rang.

* * *

Mr. Iceburg cleared his throat as he entered the room. "Take your seats please."

The room was quickly put into silence.

"As you all know, a lot of university or college examinations are now taking place. I hope you guys already have some plans in mind, whether you go into university or taking a different path, you can go to me if you ever need a hand." he smiled in fondness. He was kind of attached to this class than any other classes that he had ever handled before.

"Anyway, I have some handouts here which contain schedules of exams, requirements, and more or less everything you might need to know for college admissions. Please pass." he continued.

Ace and Sabo exchanged worried looks when their teacher finished. They were still undecided. They were torn between staying with their baby brother and going into places chasing their dreams. Luffy mattered most to them ever since they were kids. And they both know that they can't be with him forever. Now that this moment finally came, it seems like this is a wake-up call for both of them to finally grow up and take chances.

* * *

_**Thank you for reading! Everyone has to start somewhere right? ;) Hehe. Tell me what you think! Thanks guys! xx**_


	2. Mess and everything else

_**Here's the second chapter. Please tell me what you think. Let me know about me errors and stuff. :)**_

* * *

**CHAPTER 2**

It was the after school club activities. Ace and Sabo went to the field to initiate their tryouts for this year's football team. They were regional champions for two years in a row now, but this year they were aiming to bag the national championship. After some fine hours of assessing the applicants, they were able to pick some good ones who might make it on the team. After a meeting with coach Lucci, they finally headed home. The walk home was not as bad as they thought it would be. Luffy's unending enthusiasm and storytelling kept the two brothers chuckling and smiling. Although at the back of their minds, they were still struggling about the college admissions. Ace wanted to get a BS in Mechanical Engineering and wanted to try getting into NYU. In Sabo's case, he wanted to take Political Science in Columbia University. Both are in New York. It made both of them shudder at their thoughts of leaving their baby brother alone here in California.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since the college handouts were distributed. Now, both of the older brothers had made their decision. The trio of brothers likes to do some sparring time at night before cleaning up. It was then that Sabo decided to suggest to Ace that they should let Luffy know by now. They were talking in hush whispers when somebody suddenly spoke.

"Tell me what Sabo?" Luffy said, grinning.

Both of the older boys went stiff.

"N-Nothing, Luffy. It's nothing to worry about." Sabo replied.

_Yeah right, _Ace thought.

"You should clean up now Luffy. You're all sweaty and smelly." Ace teased as he pushed Luffy into the bathroom.

"Are you gonna give me a bath, Ace?" the youngest asked.

"You are grown up now Luffy. You should do things on your own now." Freckles replied.

"Stingy!" Luffy shouted. But once he was inside the shower, he frowned. _I know what you guys were thinking, I was just waiting for you guys to tell me, _he thought.

Sabo sighed. "Really, Ace. I just can't bear the thought of leaving him here alone. You know how much of a trouble magnet he is."

"What if we take him with us?" Ace suggested.

"That would be hard. You know how he sticks with his friends."

"I know. But.."

"Let's just rest for now."

* * *

Luffy ate with his group of friends during lunch breaks. They liked seating at the far end corner, not to have peace and quiet, but more because Luffy could once again cause a food war if he was seated in the center of the cafeteria.

"So they're still not telling you?" Zoro spoke.

"Nah, although I knew they've already decided. It's just sad that they never told me about it." Luffy said to him.

"I saw them a while ago submitting the college application forms." Nami told him.

"Well, what about you? Do you wanna go with them?" It was Sanji who spoke.

"I don't know yet honestly. I wanna go but I also don't wanna leave you guys." Luffy smiled.

"Why don't you ask them Luffy?" the little friend Chopper asked.

"I-I guess I want them to tell me themselves because I want them to trust me enough that I shouldn't get myself in trouble that much when they're not around. I'm strong enough already." the raven-haired sadly replied.

"Then show them you can! We're here for you!" Usopp told him.

Marco who was seated in the next table cannot help to overhear this and suddenly made a mental note to tell the two idiots how their brother feels about them leaving. He quickly went to find the two.

When the blond was gone, Luffy suddenly grinned to his friends like a madman.

"I know now guys! I have an idea!" he declared.

"Oh god.." Nami said in a worried voice.

* * *

Once he was in the classroom, Marco approached the two who were bickering about what game they should buy next.

"You should tell him yoi." Marco told both.

The duo was left confused. Marco sighed. "Luffy."

Both guys suddenly fell silent. "You won't like the face he made when he told this to his friends."

Ace and Sabo exchanged looks. Then Marco explained what he had heard from Luffy. Although he completely understands his two friends, he cannot let them be idiots to their little brother. They should not have left him uninformed about things that also concern the youngest even though they were just scared or worried of what Luffy might say to them.

The two brothers knew what Luffy was capable of. However, they also knew that even though Luffy avoids trouble, trouble itself comes to him and sticks to him like a leech. But whatever the case, both of them would still go even into the pits of hell if it means getting their baby brother back. They would always be there to stand him up and drag his ass into the track. The brothers were just worried and guilty, even though college still has not happened, because what if a kind of trouble comes in which there is no getting their baby brother back?

A loud yelling got both men snapped out of their own thoughts. And a very distinctive voice that they can recognize even at the ends of the earth soon followed.

"Crap! It was meant to be good!" the voice said.

"Huh? What's he up to now?" Marco asked.

"Trouble." The brothers said in unison.

* * *

After a few minutes, Ace and Sabo were summoned to the principal's office. There were a good number of teachers present. One was their own homeroom teacher, Mr. Iceburg. Mr. Aokiji, Ms. Olvia, Mr. Pell and Coach Lucci were also present.

Mr. Beckman, the principal, broke the silence.

"Ace, Sabo, I believe Luffy here has caused quite the trouble today."

"Sorry Ben! But I was just trying to help!" Luffy countered.

"I know, Luffy. Now please let me finish first." The principal told him.

After a good half an hour of explanation, Ace and Sabo already got headaches. Because seriously, if this continues, Luffy might not graduate on time. For the older brothers, that was a shuddering thought because it was supposed to be their responsibility to make sure their baby brother gets a good education and graduates on time.

Apparently, Luffy tried to help a lot of the clubs in their activities but ended up messings things up to the point where they cannot continue to do their activities because a lot of the equipments were ruined and a good part of the area activities were littered, wrecked and worst of all, burned.

The principal allowed Luffy to apologize to the disturbed teachers for now before he voiced out his sanction.

"Luffy, I know your intentions were good but it just didn't work out. You will need to do a 16-hour school service." Benn inform.

"But.." Luffy started.

"No buts Luffy, you need to do it." Sabo told him.

It was Ace who was steaming.

"Seriously, Luffy! What were you thinking?!" Ace said.

"It was bad enough that you get into troubles even by sitting for a minute!" he continued.

"I'm so sorry Ace! It wasn't meant to be like that! I swear! I tried to help." Luffy replied.

"Think of all the damages you've done, those ruined equipments and wasted hours!"

"But.."

"I really didn't think you'd get into any more trouble that you already had!"

"I just wanna show you that I can do things properly without getting into trouble for once! For you guys to trust me that I'm a man now!"

"But that's the main reason we don't want to leave you alone! You cannot even do a single thing without leaving damages to something or someone! You always cause wreckage! You yourself are trouble! You just burden people! So you think I'll trust you to live alone?! Like hell!"

Luffy went wide-eyed. And that's when Ace realized his mistake, all those wrong words he had said to his brother. Sabo just stared at Ace. And Benn just bowed as he witnessed something hurtful.

"I-I.." Ace started.

Luffy bowed and shielded his eyes using the strawhat he always wears. "I see. Fine. Then don't trust me at all! You're stupid, Ace!" Luffy shouted as he ran to the door and bolted out.

Sabo sighed. "That was too much Ace."

Ace, for a few moments, was still unable to form words. "I-I…"

Finally, Benn spoke. "Let things cool down a bit Ace. Then go talk to him."

Ace nodded, looking down still embarrassed to look at the principal and his brother.

"Don't worry, it'll be alright. It is Luffy after all." Benn continued.

Then the two left the room and headed to their classroom.

* * *

_**Is that ok? Is there too much dialogue? Please review. Thanks everyone!**_


End file.
